The present invention relates to armor material and more particularly to armor material for use as both projectile and fragment armor.
Heretofore single and dual component armor have been provided which is suitable for protection against either fragments or projectiles. Thus, different materials are usually used where protection is required for a specific purpose. Other arrangements of materials have been provided wherein one sheet of material is spaced from a primary material for the purpose of tipping or yawing the projectile prior to impact with the armor.
Composite armors utilizing two components with the front surface made from a very hard material have been used in combination with a backing material of doron, a material made of exceedingly tough spun glass fibers woven into fabric and impregnated with a hard plastic, or other types of fiberglass laminates to produce an armor which is the effective armor material known in stopping small caliber (0.30 inch and 0.50 inch) armor piercing projectiles under single hit attack conditions. These materials are not the most effective in stopping fragments.
The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art armor and provides a combination of materials for breaking an armor piercing projectile into fragments, with a material that stops these and fragments from other sources.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved armor combination.
Another object is to provide a superior armor material suitable for stopping both projectiles and for fragments.
Still another object is to provide an armor which is relatively light weight and yet effective for stopping projectiles and/or fragments.
Yet another object is to provide an armor which is effective for a plurality of hits over a relatively small area.
Another object is to provide armor material which is sensitive to obliquity (angle between the armor surface and projectile trajectory).